June 8 news: Negative health impacts of the 2016 election, States try to save Obamacare, Deadly new pill in Georgia

Harvard School of Public Health — Recent presidential election could have negative impact on health
Stress, increased risk for disease, babies born too early and premature death are among the negative health impacts that could occur in the wake of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, according to a new article from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital in the June 8, 2017 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

Connecticut Mirror — Some states taking steps to try to save Obamacare
With uncertainty threatening the Affordable Care Act, states including Connecticut are making attempts — some more extensive than others — to keep insurers in their health care exchanges. Some states, including Alaska and Minnesota, have used an Affordable Care Act provision to establish reinsurance programs to try to stabilize wobbly insurance markets. Arkansas and New Hampshire are trying to do the same thing. Under these programs states agree to cushion the impact of unexpected loses for insurers.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — Celebrating diversity and protecting our transgender friends
Fundamental to the celebration of our diversity is recognition that every person has rights, rights that are protected by law and by basic human decency. When rights are jeopardized, we owe it to our neighbors and to our community to defend those rights. Recently, lawmakers in Madison introduced the Privacy Protection and Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act, a bill that would update the state law to include comprehensive protections for transgender people from discrimination.

Washington Post — They look like prescription drugs, but they’re actually deadly poison
The small yellow pills look like prescription drugs from a pharmacy, but Georgia authorities say they’re anything but. In recent days, the drugs — which are purchased on the street — have led to dozens of overdoses and as many as four deaths in south and central Georgia, state health officials told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Reuters — Missouri governor calls special session on abortion
Missouri’s Republican governor on Wednesday said he will convene a special legislative session next week to consider new abortion regulations and counter a local St. Louis law he said made it an “abortion sanctuary city.” The session, set to start on Monday, will seek stricter regulations on abortion clinics, including requiring annual inspections and that clinics adopt plans for potential medical complications, Governor Eric Greitens said in a statement.